Electric vaporizers



Feb. 25, 1958 L. KATZMAN ETAL 2,824,946

ELECTRIC VAPORIZERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed my 20. 1956 INVENTORY Feb. 25, 1958 L. KATZMAN ET AL ELECTRIC VAPORIZERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 20, 1956 I INVENTORS zaz/izmca' awrz/mn & 1 1-3227? 5. 550032 BY 7 M States Patent G 1 2,824,946 ELECTRIC VAPORIZERS Lawrence Katzman, New York, and Meyer L. Block, Port Washington, N. Y., assignors to Kaz Manufacturing Co., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 20, 1956, Serial No. 599,120 10 Claims. (Cl. 219-40) This invention relates to an improvement in electric Vaporizers and more particularly an improvement for electric Vaporizers used for vaporizing medicated liquids in the treatment of respiratory ailments.

It is an object of this invention to provide an electric vaporizer with a one-piece medicament and electrode holder wherein the medicament and electrode holder is surrounded by a vapor tight chamber made of nylon or other insulating material.

it is a further object of this invention to provide a vaporizing chamber within a vaporizer wherein the liquid contained in the chamber is vaporized in a short time and is independent of the amount of liquid contained in the vaporizer.

it is still another object of this invention to provide an area relationship between the chamber opening and the vapor ejecting spout opening so as to maintain constant vapor emission when the vaporizer is in use.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a vaporizer with a vaporizing chamber which is easily assembled, easy to clean and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be more apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a vaporizer including the improvement embodied in this invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken through line 2-2 of Fig. l of the medicament and electrode holder, cover and partially through the vaporizer jar;

Fig. 3 is a perspective of the component parts of the vaporizer including the improvement contained in this invention;

Fig. 4 is a section taken through line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section taken through line 55 of Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawings, the vaporizer unit generally indicated at 2, Fig. l, is composed of a conventional liquid container 3 which can be a wide mouth glass jar. This jar, Fig. 3, has a neck generally indicated at 4 terminating in flat edge 5. The neck is provided on its exterior portion with a series of peripherally surrounding ridges 6 which form a rim to receive a conventional screw-on type cap 7, Fig. 3.

This screw cap has its center portion removed to form an opening generally indicated at 8 to allow closure member 9 (Fig. 3) to protrude therethrough. The inner peripheral portion 10 of this opening (Fig. 2) of the screw cap, is flanged downwardly to form edge 11 (Fig. 2). A series of holes 12 extend through the flanged portion 1%? for a purpose to be described later.

The closure member, generally indicated at 9 (Fig. 3) has a top 13 and a base portion 14. The top portion further has a vapor emission spout 15, with an opening 16 (Fig. l) and a pair of electrode terminals 17 (Fig. 3) which engage the female plug 18 (Fig. 1). The base portion 14 has an outwardly extending flange 19 disposed under the edge 11 of the screw cap when the screw cap is applied over the closure member.

A cylindrical insert member, or vaporizing chamber, made of nylon or other insulating material is generally indicated at 2%) (Fig. 3). Side wall 21 and bottom wall 22 of the cylindrical member generally define a chamber 24 (Fig. 2). An opening 23 is provided in the bottom wall to allow the liquid, usually water, to enter the vaporizing chamber 24 where the liquid contacts the elecvariation in the size of 2,824,946 Patented Feb. 25, 1958 2 trodes (not shown) and is vaporized, it being understood that the liquid contains an electrolyte such as salt. The upper extremity of side wall 21 has an outwardly extending flange 25 (Fig. 2). This flange has a series of notches 27 cut along its bottom edge. The top of the insert member is open, generally indicated at 29 (Fig. 3).

On the interior of the wall 21 near the top of the insert member, is a seating ridge 30 (Fig. 3) formed to engage the base portion 13 (Fig. 2 of the closure member 9. To the base portion 14 is affixed pivot 32 which provides the support for the suspended medicament and electrode holder generally indicated by 33 (Fig. 2).

This seating ridge 30 is formed on the interior of side wall 21 by a slight outward extension 35 (Fig. 3) of the side wall. This extension forms substantially a ring which peripherally surrounds the vaporizing chamber so that the inside diameter of the insert member above the ridge is slightly greater than the inside diameter of the insert member below the ridge. Further, the outside diameter of the insert member is greater above the ridge than the outside diameter of the insert member below the ridge. The base portion 14 of closure member 9 engages and is generally supported by the seating ridge 30.

On the exterior of side wall 21 immediately below the point Where the side wall is extended outwardly to form the ridge, generally indicated as 35 (Fig. 3), a plurality of downwardly extending finger projections 36 are formed. These finger projections are raised integral portions of the side wall 21. Their thickness is suflicient to place their outer edge in substantially the same plane as the outer surface of the outwardly extended portion 35 of the side wal These projections 36 are so formed that in case of an expansion of the chamber side wall 21 or in case of a the opening of the jar neck 4, they will. be forced into contact with the inner surface of the neck 4. When so in contact passages, insuring free communication of air from the atmosphere to the interior of thevaporizer jar, will be formed between the individual pro ections.

The flange 19 (Fig. 2) of the closure member, under the pressure of edge 11 of the screw cap, exerts a downward pressure on the flange 25 of the insert member when the insert member is placed inside of the neck 4. This pressure places the flange 25 of the insert member in tight engagement with the edge 5 of the glass mouthed jar.

It is therefore seen in use, that the vaporizing chamber or insert member is held tightly in this glass jar under the action of the screw cap and the closure member. This screw cap could be replaced by a snap-on type cap or other conventional sealing means.

When the device is used, the vaporizer jar is filled with water 40 or other fluid containing an electrolyte, to approximately the level line 41 Fig. 2. The insert member 20 or vaporizing chamber is then, with its closure member attached, inserted. By revolving the closure member 9 upward, the medicament reservoir 42 is exposed and is then filled to approximately the level line 43 Fig. 2. By downwardly pivoting the closure member about its pivot 32, the closure member flange 19 is then engaged with the flange 25 of the insert member.

The screw cap 7 is placed over the closure member so that edge 11 engages the exposed portion of flange 19 of the closure member and the screw cap is then screwed down tightly by means of the ridges 6. A vaporizing chamber 24 is formed inside insert member 20 by flange 19 of the closure member engaging the flange 25 of the insert member.

The female plug 18 is attached to the electrodes 1'7 and to a current source (not shown).

Atmospheric pressure enters through holes 12 in the flanged portion of screw cap 7 and passes through notches 27 in flange 25 into the vaporizer jar but not into the vaporizing chamber. This atmospheric pressure acts on the main body of the water within the vaporizer jar and forces water through hole 23 in bottom wall 22 of insert member 20 into chamber 24. This water forced into the chamber is then in position Where it will be vaporized when heat is applied to the water through the electrodes (not shown).

The vaporizing of water 40, within chamber 24, causes medicament '43 to vaporize and to issue intermixedly through opening 16 in vapor emission spout 15. The vapor emission spout need not only have one opening 16, but could have a plurality of openings.

As the water in chamber 21 is vaporized, additional water to provide continuous vaporizing, is forced, under normal atmospheric pressure, through the hole 23 in the bottom wall 22 of chamber 24. This opening or passageway 23 in the bottom wall, need not be only one opening but could be a series of openings.

The opening in the vapor emission spout must be large enough so that the vapor formed within the chamber will be able to escape through that opening, without forming back pressure within the vaporizing chamber greater than the pressures forcing the vaporizing liquid into the chamber. It is understood that the pressures forcing the vaporizing liquid into the vaporizing chamber include ambient air pressure, and also the pressure caused by reason of the fact that the height of the water in the vaporizer jar will be normally greater than the height of the water in the vaporizer chamber.

If the back pressure within the vaporizing chamber was to exceed the sum of these pressures causing the water or other liquid to flow into the vaporizing chamber, then the water or other liquid in the vaporizer jar would be unable to enter the vaporizing chamber, and consequently vaporization would be constantly interrupted. In this regard, however, it must be pointed out that the opening in the vaporizing emission spout must necessarily be small enough to emit the vapor as a directed stream of steam, so as to produce the desired effect.

It has been found that if the area of the vapor emission opening is five times the area of the opening allowing for the entry of water into the vaporizing chamber, that maximum vaporizing efliciency is attained.

The present invention is not restricted to the specific embodiment illustrated and described in detail herein. Several modifications of the specific embodiments illustrated would be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is desired by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An electric vaporizer including a vaporizer jar, a closure member, including an emission spout and a base portion, at least one opening in said emission spout, a vaporizing chamber made of insulating material within said vaporizer jar, a medicament and electrode holder contained and suspended within said chamber, means to engage said closure member and said vaporizing chamber n vapor tight relationship, said vaporizing chamber having a side wall, and a bottom wall, at least one uninterrupted valveless passage in said bottom wall adapted to allow liquid to enter the vaporizing chamber under atmospheric pressure and means independent of the emission spout opening to allow air to enter the vaporizer jar.

2. An electric vaporizer as in claim 1, wherein the area of the opening in the emission spout is five times the area l(if the passage in the bottom wall of the vaporizer cham- 3. An electric vaporizer as in claim 2, wherein said insulating material is nylon.

fl. In an electric vaporizer, a vaporizer far, a neck in said vaporizerjar, a closure member including a base portion and an emission spout, an opening in said emission spout, a vaporizing chamber made of insulating material, said vaporizing chamber including a side wall, a bottom Wall and an open top end, a seating ridge on the interior of said side wall adapted to generally support said base portion of said closure member, a one piece medicament and electrode holder suspended and contained within said vaporizing chamber, said medicament and electrode holder being suspended from the base portion of said closure member, sealing means to engage said closure member and said vaporizing chamber in vapor-tight engagement,

. said sealing means including a screw cap, an opening in the center portion of said screw cap, the edge of said center opening being downwardly flanged, ridges on the exterior of the open neck of said vaporizing jar adapted to receive said screw cap, an outwardly extending flange on the base portion of the closure member and an outwardly extending flange peripherally surrounding the vaporizing chamber adjacent the open end of said chamber and means to introduce liquid into said vaporizing chamber including an opening in a wall of said vaporizing chamber below the liquid level of the reacting liquid and a tortuous path for air whose pressure forces the reacting liquid to enter the vaporizer jar through said opening in said vaporizing chamber wall.

5. An electric vaporizer as in claim 4, wherein the opening in the emission spout is five times the area of the opening in the wall of the vaporizing chamber.

6. An electric vaporizer as in claim 4, wherein the tortuous path includes a series of notches in the lower portion of said vaporizing chamber flange extending from the outer edge of said flange to the outer portion of said side wall and a plurality of holes in the downward extending flange of the edge of said screw cap center opening.

7. An electric vaporizer as in claim 6, wherein the tortuous path includes a series of downwardly extending finger projections integrally formed on said side wall of said vaporizer chamber, said projections adapted to form passageways insuring free communication of air to the vaporizer jar.

8. The method of providing continuous and uninterrupted vaporizing of a restricted liquid in a vaporizing chamber which consists in providing an opening through which liquid is introduced to the chamber, bringing the liquid to an evaporation temperature, and evaporating the formed vapors through a restricted channel opening above said liquid which is of an area sufficient to allow the vapor to escape from the chamber without forming vapor pressure on the liquid within the chamber greater than the pressure introducing the liquid.

9. The method of providing continuous and uninterrupted vaporizing of a restricted liquid in a vaporizing chamber which consists of providing a passage through which liquid is introduced into the chamber by atmospheric pressure, bringing the liquid to an evaporation temperature and evaporating the formed vapors through an opening having an area substantially five times the area of the liquid entering passage so that the pressure of the formed vapors on the liquid inside of the chamber will be less than the atmospheric pressure forcing the liquid into the chamber whereby liquids will be constantly introduced and vaporized in an uninterrupted manner.

10. The method as set forth in claim 8 wherein the area of the restricted channel opening above the liquid through which the vapor escapes is approximately five times greater than the area of the opening through which the liquid is introduced.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,387,156 Katzman Oct. 16, 1945 2,533,794 Hanks et al Dec. 12, 1950 2,713,628 Barkin July 19, 1955 2,777,935 Schmitt et a1. Jan. 15, 1957 

